Friday 04 March 2005, 9:22 Makka Time, 6:22 GMT
As reported by the Ap, during the conference held in Ryhad on Thursady between Saudi officials and the Syrian president, Prince Abd Allah asked al-Asad for a full withdrawal of the his troops from Lebanon.
This new request came after many other politicians from Tony Blair to Bush passing from Condy Rice and the Uk Foreign Secretary Jack Straw did the same.
Damascus is under an international political pressure but resisted untill now to as the only positive answer about this possibility was trying to consider a partial withdrawal for the end of March.
According to an Arab diplomat in Cairo, says al-Jazeera, Syria intends to leave at least 3000 soldiers in Lebanon as well as radio stations.
The tone of the discussion wasn't so kind as many newspapers talked about a "tough" line from the Saudi Prince.
The 14,000 soldiers that are occupying Lebanon's sole since 1991 when they invaded the country as "peacekeepers" remained there without being noticed from the public opinion.
The issue became famous last February 14, when the assassination of the former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri, who resigned from his job during the last October in order to protest against the presence of the Syrian army.
The Syrian president is considering a possible partial withdrawal before the Arab conference scheduled in Algeria for March 23, but remarked the fact that not everything was under his complete control.
Rafiq al-Hariri was known to be close with the Saudi people and the royal Family too, that is the reason why Prince Abd Allah is said to be "angry" with the Syrian government.
Il Romanaccio at 10:48 AM
